Adding a link to a J drive folder from your Blackboard course.

While not recommended it is possible to add a link to a folder or file on your J drive to your Blackboard course.

Keep in mind that

– Links to J drive will only work in Microsoft Internet Explorer

– The link will only work on a Windows Staff PC, Bench PC or Public Workstation.

– The link will only work if the person who logged into the PC has access to the J drive folder/file in question.

– There may be other support issues that we are unaware of and as such this method should not be relied upon.

Identify J Drive Folder or File

1. First identify the J drive folder or file to which you wish to make a link. In this example a folder called “temp2” is being used.

Copy Path to Clipboard

2. Click into the Path box so that the text J: etc. is displayed, select all the text, and copy it to the clipboard. You can do this by right clicking on the highlighted text and choosing copy. Note that all of the text must be copied or the link will not work. Ensure that you have copied the entire path.

Blackboard

3. Now go to the place in Blackboard to which you would like to add the link. Start by adding an Item.

Details

4. Enter a Name and colour as usual. In the text box type in the text that will be used to form the link, e.g. “click here to access the J drive”.

Select Text

5. Select the text that forms the link you will make.

Insert Hyperlink

6. Click on the Insert Hyperlink icon. It looks like a globe and is highlighted in red in this screenshot.

File link

7. A new window will pop up.

8. In the type dropdown box choose File.

9. In the URL box add an extra / so that the text starts with file:///

10. Paste in the path you copied to the clipboard earlier so that it is appended to the file:/// text.

11. Change all the backward slashes from the text that you pasted to forward slashes.

12. Review the URL text again, if this is incorrect then the link will not work. Here is an example of a correctly formed link:

file:///J:/iSolutions/Service Delivery/eLearning/Blackboard/temp2

13. Click on Submit.

Submit again

14. The text you selected before will now be underlined showing that it is a link, click on Submit to finish.